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From George Maponga in Masvingo
THE MDC-T has been rocked by fresh chaos in Masvingo after some senior party leaders in the province handpicked their allies to fill vacancies in the provincial executive during a shambolic provincial council meeting held last week.

Disgruntled members of the MDC-T Masvingo provincial council from 24 out of the 26 party districts were left fuming after the provincial executive led by chair Mr James Gumbi appointed their associates to fill vacant posts instead of opening the floor to voting by secret ballot.

There are now fears that simmering fissures in the beleaguered party in Masvingo might widen unless the move to handpick the provincial treasurer, deputy treasurer, deputy secretary for information and publicity and deputy secretary, are reversed.

Sources said the four new provincial executive members who were ushered into office during the weekend provincial council meeting were allies of newly-appointed MDC-T vice president Advocate Nelson Chamisa, who is keen to consolidate his hold in Masvingo.

A Ms Matara was appointed the new provincial treasurer, filling the vacancy left after the elevation of businessman Mr Takanai Mureyi into the national executive council.

Former Gutu senator Mr Empire Makamure was appointed to fill the newly-created post of deputy treasurer while a Mr Masocha and a Mr Mupindu were appointed deputy provincial secretary and secretary for information and publicity respectively.

Party insiders said all the four appointees were Advocate Chamisa’s allies.

‘’There were no elections as should be. The provincial leadership led by (Mr) Gumbi just announced names of individuals they had handpicked to occupy the four vacant posts. The issue caused a lot of dissatisfaction which will worsen in-fighting because we were supposed to go for elections,’’ said a provincial council member, who preferred to remain anonymous.

Mr Gumbi justified the appointments saying elections would divide the party ahead of the crunch 2018 elections.

The MDC-T Masvingo chair rubbished claims that senior provincial executive members handpicked their allies and skirted elections.